April 16, 2019 : DCMS #445

DISASTERS AVERTED — Near Miss Case Studies

Pump Setting Changes May Go Unnoticed

TOP STORIES — Diabetes News and Research

Less Insulin Prior To Exercise for Type 1’s Prevents Hypoglycemia

Personalized Intervention for Type 2’s Using Insulin Provides Better Adherence

Benefits of Testosterone Therapy in Men with Prediabetes

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — Candid Video Interviews with Top Practitioners

Sam Engel on CompoSIT and VERTIS Trials; “Clinical Inertia”

MOST POPULAR ARTICLES OF THE MONTH

#1 Metformin For People Who Do Not Have Diabetes?

#2 Low Carb Or Low Fat Diet To Lose Weight?

#3 Meds That Impact Your Exercise As A Person With Diabetes

When I would see male diabetes patients in the endocrinologist’s office, we would always order a testosterone level as part of the labs. It seemed that regardless of the severity of their diabetes or their age, the majority of these men had low levels. The association between low testosterone and diabetes has been studied for years and the use of testosterone injections, creams, and gels is well known. 

Since many of us subscribe to the theory that pre-diabetes will eventually lead to diabetes, does it make sense that men who have pre-diabetes be tested and if necessary prescribed testosterone, and will it make a difference?

This week Ghazal Blair, PharmD Candidate from LECOM College of Pharmacy, has put together a feature from three different sets of researchers that actually concludes that early and long term testosterone use can prevent the progression to diabetes. 

Dave Joffe

Editor-in-chief

Recently a pump user reported a sudden increase in her glucose levels lasting a couple of days. Her blood sugars were elevated to 275-320mg/dL, with no ketones present.  Changing her infusion sets did not help. Nor did rotating to a new injection site or even using a fresh vial of insulin. After reviewing her insulin pump we noticed a symbol on her “home screen” saying that a special feature was running.

50-80% basal rate reduction lowers the risk of exercise-induced hypoglycemia.

Intensive insulin-adherence interventions that target type 2 diabetes patients with high risk of noncompliance can be beneficial.

Can testosterone treatment benefit men at risk of developing insulin resistance?

In this Exclusive Interview, Sam Engel talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 2018 convention in Orlando about diabetes drugs in the pipeline at Merck; clinical trials on sitagliptin and ertugliflozin, including the CompoSIT and VERSIS studies; and the problem of “clinical inertia” in intensifying treatment.